


The Grass Is Always Greener

by leelynnresika95



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Humanstuck, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-01-16
Updated: 2013-02-07
Packaged: 2017-11-25 18:22:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,389
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/641696
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/leelynnresika95/pseuds/leelynnresika95
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sollux has always had problems paying the bills. So when he gets no credit for some breakthrough coding and his piece of shit car needs a whole new engine, he has to find another way to pay the monthly apartment bill or get comfortable living on the streets. So what else works out better than having someone move in to help pay for things? But little do Sollux and his new roommate know what's in store for them in this crash test of an arrangement.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. September 14th, First Encounter

**Author's Note:**

> Davesol is one of my OTPs, so I finally got the courage up to write a fanfic about them. So hop on the insanity train if you'd like and help me see where this goes!

The alarm ringing breaks through the darkness as you jolt awake. You rub a skinny-fingered hand over your face and realized you have dried drool on your face, along with keyboard imprints.

Nice.

Coding all night without any source of caffeine was never a good idea. You're behind on your commissions and your boss is going to be pissed if the latest code isn't done by 5:00 this afternoon.

"Fuck..." you say as you pull your computer from sleep mode and study your numbers. There's a faulty extra 1 in the lineup, so you comb through the lines, double-checking your work. You can't afford to screw this up. Your future career hangs in the balance.

Well, it could. If people would take the time to notice your phenomenal work and give you a chance to show them what you've got.

Feeling satisfied with the work you've done, enough to stop, you stretch, crack your spindly fingers, and look around. 9:34am. You guess its time for coffee.

First you shuffle out of your room and into your bathroom to wash off your face and and try to remove the key imprints. Then you rub your face again and shuffle to the kitchen. You're seriously hoping there's food.

Pantries. Empty. Fridge. Empty except for some sour milk and a moldy apple. The freezer is also a lot cause, due to everything having freezer burn.  
"Way to go, thtupid, you're completely out of food," you say to no one in particular. Welp. Time to go on a grocery shopping spree. You sigh and close the freezer door.

You grumble back to your room, pick up a shirt, and give it the scent test. It smells decent enough for public, so you pull it on and spray a bit of deodrant just in case. The shirt is gray with an old pixel Link on the front.

You stuff your yellow and black wallet into your back pocket, pick up your cellphone, the piece of shit, and grab your keys.

It's really a surprise you have stayed afloat for as long as you have. You have your own apartment, a car, a few college classes. You should be living on the streets if not for your commissions in codes and the shitty job you have dealing with dumb technology issues and malfunctioning ipods due to user error. In other words, you work the return desk at Best Buy.

Your beat up Honda Accord sputters to life and you use a few choice words as you struggle to get the seat adjusted again. Every time you put it in park, the seat slowly sinks down becuase the lever is broken. Along with many other things wrong with your car. You count your blessings that the old decrepit thing still runs.

\---

You might've spoken too soon.

After picking up some groceries to last a while, you get back in your car and are driving down one of the main streets of the city when the car stalls. At a red light. At a huge and busy interesection. Your heart hammers in your chest and you try to get the car to stop grinding its gears and making such a horrible sound that makes you grit your teeth. You're able to get it back in gear so you can quickly pull over and park to let the honking cars behind you go for the green light.

As soon as you push the gear into park, it's gone. The engine whines and gives one last shudder before dying with a trail of smoke leaking out from the hood.

You ignore stares as you get out of your car, pop the hood, and slam your door. "Piethe of shit, why do you have to do thith now?"

You keep your face away from the car as you open and prop up the hood, waiting for the smoke and steam to clear.

"Shit. Fuck." The belt is broken and had flung itself into the engine's fan, completely destroying the rest of the engine. The whole engine was done for. "Fuck."

You rub the back of your neck and close the hood. This might be the last time you'll ever drive this car. What a trooper.

You then kick the tire and open your door again, grabbing your keys and locking your car. You look around at the shops and notice a small coffee place a cross the street. You jog across, earning a few honks, to which you flip them the bird in the general direction. You slow when you get to the coffee shop's door. Opening the door, the bells chime the announcement of your arrival to the small groups of fellow coffee shop dwellers.

You amble up to the counter and glance at the menu. Decent prices. Good selection. You breathe in the coffee aroma deeply. It's one thing you find comforting on a day like this, the smell of coffee. It's like an old friend stopping by to say hello.

Lowering your eyes, your gaze is met by your own reflection looking back at you from the surface of a pair of black aviator sunglasses.

Blinking, you see a decently tall guy, light skin, freckles, strawberry blonde hair, and those sunglasses hiding his eyes. His mouth is a thin straight line and he has an eyebrow raised above the glasses frame.

Wow. Does this guy look like a douche or what, is your first thought. Who else wears sunglasses inside?

You blink twice, realizing he had just asked you what you were ordering.

"Uh, grande chai latte, pleathe." You mentally kick yourself for speaking a word that displays your lisp.

Sunglasses doesn't even react and just calmly asks you, "Will that be all?"

You mumble a reply of "yeah" and get out the money to pay for your drink. He turns around to make your order, and you shuffle off to a side table by a window to wait for your order and wonder what the hell you are going to do next. The clock reads 11:14am.

You watch out the window for a bit, and then tire of looking at people. You grab your phone out of your pocket and check your messages. One from your boss asking about the codes, a few from friends, and several from one friend in particular. You know he won't stop bugging you until you respond, so you reply to him first.

TA: hey kk 2orry about that ii 2wear ii wa2nt ignoriing you, but iive been haviing a 2hiit day

CG: WOW LOOK WHO FINALLY GRACES ME WITH THEIR WORDS

CG: WORDS OF EXCUSES, THAT IS

TA: iim beiing 2eriiou2 kk, my car diied

CG: I TOLD YOU IT WAS A PIECE OF SHIT

CG: WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO NOW

TA: not 2ure, ii could try two get iit fiixed but iim runniing low on ca2h

TA: thii2 tiime iit blew the whole engiine

CG: YOU NEED TO SEND THAT PIECE OF SHIT TO ITS GRAVE. GIVE IT A PROPER BURIAL THEN LET IT RUST IN PIECES.

TA: ii dont know, maybe

TA: ii miight have two borrow your biike agaiin

CG: AGAIN, REALLY? IF YOU'RE HAVING TROUBLE PAYING FOR THINGS, WHY DONT YOU JUST COME LIVE WITH ME INSTEAD, ASSHOLE

CG: IT'D BE A HELL OF A LOT EASIER ON YOU THEN TRYING TO GET BY ON SHITTY INCOME FROM LISTENING TO BRATS COMPLAIN THAT THEIR IPHONES DON'T WORK WHEN IT'S THEIR OWN FUCKING FAULT IT ISN'T WORKING

TA: nah, thank2 but no, kk

TA: ii can fiigure thii2 out, iit2 ju2t the engiine

CG: JUST THE ENGINE, MY ASS

CG: FINE. THATS WHAT YOU GET FOR BUYING A CAR OFF OF CRAIGSLIST, IDIOT

TA: yeah yeah ii know

TA: but anyway2, 2orry ii can't hang out twoday

CG: I DON'T CARE ANYMORE

CG: I'LL JUST SEE YOU LATER

CG: BYE, DOUCHEBAG.

TA: alway2 one wiith an eloquence for partiing word2 of endearment

TA: bye kk

 

You put your phone back in your pocket and jump slightly at your drink being set down in front of you. Sunglasses guy is standing there.

"Can I help you?" you ask, wanting him to leave and go help some other customer.

"Nah. You just look a little lost."

You look up at him and pull your drink towards you. "Nope. I'm jutht fine, thank."

"All right, then, well, is that your car?" Sunglasses makes a vague gesture out the window.

"What'th it to you?"

"Just wondering, I guess." Sunglasses turns around and walks back to the counter, and you cautiously sip some of your latte. "Yum.." you mumble, and drink a little more. It's really good. You needed this. You glance back up at the counter where the guy is waiting on some other customers, and you see him look back at you, so you quickly turn away. Or at least you think he was looking at you. Damn sunglasses.

You spend some more time responding to other friends and your boss. After a while, you look up, startled to see Sunglasses slide into the seat across from you. He stares at you.

You slide your phone into your pocket and inquire, "I thought employeeth weren't thuppothed to harrath the cuthtomerth."

Sunglasses smirks and lifts one shoulder. Shrug. "Do you have a tow truck coming or a friend?"

You bite the inside of your cheek and reply with, "Thince when ith it your buthineth?"

Sunglasses doesn't even move. "Since you're going to finish that latte soon and would be considered loitering if you didn't move. Your table could have room for more customers if not for you sitting here."

You just stare at him.

"Point being, " he continues, "is that if you don't have a ride, I could drive you where you needed to go." You then notice his apron is hanging on his shoulder and another barista is waiting on people at the counter.

You look back at Sunglasses and study him for a moment. "Off your shift?"

"Yep. Next one starts at 5. So is that a yes?"

You contemplate a little bit longer, and then sigh. "Yeah, sure."

Sunglasses stands up and waits for you to follow suit. He extends a hand. "The name's Dave." You take it and awkwardly shake his hand, then let go.

"Mine ith Tholluth." Screw your lisp. But Sunglasses, er, now Dave, doesn't bat an eye at it. "Sollux. Cool."

You both head out of the coffee shop and start onto the sidewalk. It's then that you realize you still have groceries in your backseat. Specifically the icecream that's probably melted. "Hey, I need to grab thtuff from my car."

Dave glances at you. "Okay."

You head over to your car, open the back door, and grab some bags. Dave grabs the rest, and then you bump it closed with a bony hip and are on your way to Dave's car.

You enter a parking garage just a block away and finally stop at a shiny black new Hyundai Sonata. Dave pops the trunk and places the bags inside, and you follow suit. Then you head to the passenger door and get inside. Inside is dark red leather. The car has a sunroof, heated seats, and a kickass stereo. Holy shit. This car is drool-worthy.

Dave hops in and turns the car on. "So, where am I driving?"

You finally look over at him. "Uh, the apartment complexes by the freeway bridge."

"Okay. Off we go." He smiles, well, smirks, as he says this. He pulls out of the garage, and you look in the side mirror and watch as your car disappears from view as Dave weaves through traffic with ease.

It's a short, smooth ride to the apartments and soon you realize the car is parked. You get out and stand by the trunk to grab your groceries.

Dave opens it for you and grabs some bags again.

You walk over to your apartment door, and then suddenly you feel self-conscious about your apartment. "Can you jutht drop the thtuff right here on the doorthtep? Thankth." Dave does as you ask and then wanders back to his car. "If you want, about your car, I can give you the number of a really good mechanic."

You walk over to him as he riffles through his glovebox and grabs a scrap of paper and a pen. He scribbles a number down on it and hands it to you. you take it, and stand there awkwardly. Dave hops into his car and turns it on. He rolls down his window.

"Thankth again," you say, lamely.

Dave waves "It was no problem, Sollux." Your mouth twitches towards a smile at him saying your name so casually. He pauses and shifts slightly. "What's your last name?"

"Um. Captor. What's yours?"

Dave purses his lips for a second. "Strider. Well, see you around."

"Yeah," you mumble. Dave drives off, and you walk back to get your bags inside. You put things away then go to your room to get on your computer and finish the codes. The clock reads 1:22pm.

You can't help it, as you stare at your screen. Your mouth quirks up, and you smile.

Your name is Sollux Captor, and you know you're going to go back to that coffee shop again.


	2. September 17th, Uncredited

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sollux gets ignored by his boss. He then finds out why. Dave has a suggestion.

It's been three days since you finished your last code and sent it in. Your boss has yet to repsond. You're getting annoyed. Okay, more than annoyed. You're pretty much livid. You were supposed to get your paycheck for the codes yesterday. Your apartment's monthly bill is coming up in a week, and you need the couple hundred bucks the coding gives you to make up for the rest of the bill that your other job doesn't pay enough for. It is looking likely that your luck is running out.

You'd ask for help, but the only thing is you don't know when you'd pay whoever back. And the other option isn't a good one either. You appreciate Karkat and his generosity, no matter the blatant and sometimes rude way he states it. 

The reason you wouldn't room with Karkat at his place, was unfortunately, because of his roomate. A kid by the name of John fucking Egbert. You could almost say you loathed the kid. Or at least severely disliked. He was an outrageous prankster, and so far, in all of the times you had been over to watch horrid romcoms with Karkat, the guy had set off at least 3 pranks each time. If that doesn't get on someone's nerves, there must be something wonky with their brains, because who doesn't get tired of having pies in the face and getting their pants soaked to look like they've had an accident, or having their shoes filled with pudding or whatever else the joker could think up?

You are not even close to being someone who tolerates that. You flipped your shit at Karkat, almost setting the new rant record above the rant master, aka Karkat, and gave him an ultimatum. Either he finds his way to mosey over to your place to do stupid shit and be lame best friends, or you weren't hanging out with him anymore to watch the movies because it was getting overwhelmingly ridiculous.

He went for the first option, thankfully.

Now, as you look at the calender and your awaiting doom, you chew at the inside of your cheek. What to do, what to do.

You think of contacting you boss again, just in case the line isn't busy anymore, but instead you decide to walk to the office instead.

You head out the door with your keys and wallet, and head down the sidewalk. The office complex where most of the other employees work is a short walk away, maybe ten minutes of walking. You open the glass door and walk in, nodding at the usual chick at the front desk. You never have to sign in, everyone knows you here. You're one of the best hackers around. To not know your name would be as blasphemous as not knowing who a god was.

You walk up to your boss's office and knock calmly on the door. You're here, in the flesh, so she can't ignore you now. You hear movement inside the office and take a a step back.

Your boss opens the door, and you raise an eyebrow at her. She looks a bit startled and freezes in place, so you just walk in the doorway. And stop. Your last clients are sitting in the chairs across from her desk. The clients that needed those codes from you a few days ago.

"Hello, what'th going on here?"

Your boss slowly closes the door and turns around to sit back down at her desk. "Just closing some deals."

You shift your gaze over to her and narrow your eyes. "Ith that it?"

"Yes. Well. Yes." She seems hesitant, so you persist and ask the question point blank.

"Are you not going to pay me for those codes?"

Your boss blinks rapidly and looks slightly guilty.

"What do you mean? Captor, I'm not sure this is the right time to be talking about that, as you see I have clients--"

You've started to have enough bullshit. "Jutht thpit it out. Thethe were my latht clientth, right? The codeth I jutht gave to you a couple dayth ago? The oneth for that top thecret corporation?" You chug ahead full speed. "You haven't paid me a dime yet, and you know how much id appreciate to be treated like any other employee. Thith ith the fourth time my check hath been delayed, and I'm tired. If you had any ithues," you pointedly look at the clients, "then I would gladly fix them."

The two men just glanced at each other and then gave your boss a look. Your boss sighs and gives you a look of pity. You try to hold back the glare you almost sent back her way. "There were no issues wrong with the codes. Actually, they were perfection, and they were appreciated." She clears her throat. "But, I have regrets to tell you that, though your work is exceptional, I am in need no longer for your services. These were your very last clients, at least for this business. We have another employee taking over your position for the rest."

You nail her with your piercing gaze. "I wath actually jutht going to tell you that I quit."

Your boss's lip twitches, but she holds her calm. "Good luck."

You turn for the door, and as you do, you nochalantly say, "Fuck you, too, bitch. Have a good life fooling thomeone elthe." You walk out and down the hall to the front doors. At least you didn't have to clean out your office. You did all your work from your place. One less thing to worry about.

Unfortunately, you now had to worry about getting a new job, getting the money to pay the bills, and making your life count towards something less shitty and stressful.

You get back to your apartment, but then you walk back to the sidewalk and head past it. You need a chai latte again. That should help you.

After 20 minutes of walking and working up a decent sweat (which felt a bit gross), you were at the coffee shop. You walk inside and you don't see Dave anywhere. You're a little bummed that he didn't seem to be there. Not that it mattered much. You could still get your order and relax for a bit.

You order, pay, and sit down conveniently at the same table as before. You watch the passerbys again as you wait for your latte. You think back on your past encounter with Dave. He was a nice stranger to have met. The mechanic's number he had given you was useful. Your car was in the shop getting repairs for half price, thanks to knowing Dave. Apparently, it's an honor to help his friends, so you got a good deal. Which was awesome, considering you'd highly doubt you's be able to afford everything you needed to pay for these days.

Lost in thought, you barely notice the latte being set down in front of you and two people sitting down across from you.

You finally look over to see Dave in casual clothes side by side with a beautiful sophisticated blonde woman. Dave smirks at you, while the woman smiles politely with meticulously applied black lips.

"Hi." Oh, wow, what a lame greeting. You grab your latte and hold it.

"Hello," the blonde woman says, her voice like silk. Who was this chick? You glanced between Dave and the woman, trying to figure it out.

"Hey, Sollux, so what brought you here again? I don't see your car anywhere." You glance at Dave and raise an eyebrow. "What? I can't have a latte in a coffee shop in peathe when I feel like it? I thought thith wath America."

The girl chuckles tastefully at your lame excuse of a joke answer, and Dave shrugs. "Never seen you around here before the other day, a guy gets curious. Was thinking maybe you were just waiting around to get a shot at this choice bod." He points to himself.

The girl elbows him slightly and shakes her head. "Dave, dear, don't be rude. He just wanted a latte. I'm Rose, by the by." Rose smiled at you and offered her hand. She was quite dainty, it seemed, but when you shook her hand, the handshake was firm and nice. Very business-like. You liked her, for the most part, already. The only problem was, watching the two blondes interact, you still didn't know their relation. Friends? Coworkers? You feel your stomach twist in an odd way when you stumble upon the though that she possibly might be Dave's girlfriend.

You sip your chai latte, careful of the foam so as to not get it on your lip, and glance between the two. "Well, nice theeing and talking with you, what brought you over here, anywayth?"

Dave smirked. "Just thought you looked lost again." Your own mouth quirks, but you stop yourself from smiling at the new inside joke between you and this marvelous stranger. The start of a smile slips off your face, though, when you see Rose looking over at Dave with a look of affection. Your happiness at seeing him again just sort of deflates.

Rose seems to see the change in your expression and eyeballs you. "How do you know Dave, anyways?"

You clear your throat. "He gave me a ride home when my crap car died on me a few dayth ago."

Rose turns her gaze to Dave. "You said you didn't have the ability to be nice, and I almost believed you."

Dave stretched his arms and put them behind his head. "Oh darn, I've been found out. Shh, don't let anyone else know."

Rose giggled. "Don't worry, I'll just keep the knowledge as blackmail for a later purpose."

You watched the banter and then joined in at the lull. "What about you two? What'th the thtory there?" You feel a twinge in your chest at asking that, afraid of the answer.

Instead, Rose tells you something else entirely. "Actually, Dave's my twin brother. So, no introductory backstory, save the one of us being born a minute apart."

You let out a mental breath you'd been holding and thanked your lucky stars, for some reason you could not discern.

"Oh, that'th cool. Now I can check that off my bucket list. Meet a pair of twinth. Check." You make a light joke of it, but you think Rose can see the underlying relief you hide. She has that sort of knowing air about her. 

After a few more minutes of chatting, Rose excuses herself to go meet a friend at a bookstore few doors down, so that leaves you to talk alone with Dave.

"So, what's eating you?" Dave breaks you from your less happy thoughts that were stressing you out.

"Oh, jutht quit my job, and I'm having problemth paying rent." Why did you just blurt out that information so easily? You barely know this guy!

Dave nods. "That sucks, what happened there, if I can ask?"

You tell him all about the shit that had just gone down, and he nods and listens calmly. Its nice to be able to open up to someone like this. Karkat listens, sure, but this just seemed slightly nicer. Maybe because Dave didn't go on ten minute long rants that were never below yelling level. You're not sure exactly.

"You know what you should do?"

You swallow your mouthful of latte. "Hmm?"

"You should apply to the music store. They're hiring."

"But there'th thtill the ithue that I need the rent money in the netht week and a half."

Dave thinks for a minute. "Go work the corner. That pays quickly enough." He says it with his usual straight face, and you roll your eyes and stick your tongue out at him.

"Dude, no, not happening."

"Why not?" He seems genuinely (yeah right) puzzled over your reaction. "You've got the right kind of body for higher standards."

You glare at him and smack his arm across the table. "No. Definitely not."

 

He shrugs and looks unperturbed. "All right, if you say so. Just telling the truth." You roll your eyes again and stretch, then get up. Your phone says it's 5:23pm. Time to head back to your apartment.

"Thankth, but no thankth. I'm gonna head out, I'll figure thomething out. Thankth for trying to help."

"No problem, always ready to assist skinny damsels in distress," Dave responds with. You snort and smile at him. He half smiles back and waves bye as you walk out the door. You nod back and head home.

On your way, you see a newspaper on a bench. You grab it and flip through casually. Its then that you notice your opportunity for helping your situation. You're going to put a roomate ad in the newspaper.

You put the newspaper back on the bench and head home, you mind more at ease now that you had a plan.


End file.
